Herod Antipas in Galilee: The Literary and Archaeological Sources on the Reign of Herod Antipas and Its Socio-economic Impact on Galilee

330 Pages·2006·9.09 MB·English

by  Morten Jensen

Morten H0rning Jensen
Herod Antipas in Galilee
The Literary and Archacological Sources
on the Reign of Herod Antipas
and its Socio-Economic Impact on Galilee
Mohr Siebeck
Morn:* Hhkmvc Jfnsem, bora 1972; 2001 M.TbcoL (cand.theol.) from the University
of Aarhus. Denmark; 2005 Ph.D.: 2006-2008 Postdoc from the Carlsbcrg Foundation.
University of Aarhus.
ISBN 3-16-148967-5
ISBN-13 978-3-16-148967-9
ISSN (1340-9570 (Wissenschaftliche Untcrsuchungen zurn Neucn Testament, 2. Keihe)
Die Deutsche Bibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie.
detailed bibliographic data is available in the Internet at httpiVdnh.ddb.df.
2006 by Mohr Sicbeck. Tubingen. Ciennany.
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted
by copyright law) without the publisher's written permission. This applies particularly to
reproductions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems.
The book was printed by Gukle-Druck in Tubingen on non-aging paper and bound by
Buchbindcrei Held in Rottenburg/N.
Printed in Germany.
For Jeanette

Acknow ledgements
In 2000'01 1 was given the opportunity to spend the academic year at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem as a graduate student. While initially pur­
suing the catchphrase 'The Quest for the Historical Jesus.' I somehow
ended up in ‘Galilee/ In retrospect, this was a fortunate ‘detour’ that also
kept me busy throughout the succeeding period of PhD study ai the Faculty
of Theology, University of Aarhus. Denmark in 2002 5. Not only has the
issue of Roman Galilee provided an unrivalled opportunity for training in
the classical deeds of source-oriented history writing, with a focus on such
interest ng areas as archaeology, Josephus studies. New Testament studies
and rabbinica, but it also opened the door to a vibrant international re­
search community in which - obviously youth and ignorancc arc no hin­
drance to a warm welcome!
When currently publishing a revised edition of my dissertation, Herod
Antipas in Galilee, submitted in August 2005. there is therefore a list of
persons that I genuinely need to thank for their help and guidance. As my
email archive reveals, a large number of scholars have taken time to dis­
cuss various issues with me, provided me with the unique opportunity to
read through unpublished manuscripts, or even - outstandingly - com­
mented on one or more chapters. I wish to thank Sean Freync, Jfirgen Zan-
genberg, Douglas Edwards. Steve Mason. Jonathan I.. Reed, James F.
Strange. Mordechai Aviam, Mark A. Chancey, John Dominic Crossan,
Andrea M. Berlin. Danny Syon, David Hendin, Morgan Kelly, James S.
McLaren. Milton Moreland, Douglas E. Oakman, Carolyn Osiek, Anders
Runesson, Donald T. Ariel. Uriel Rappaport. Peter Richardson. Flalvor
Moxne>, Marianne Sawicki, John S. Kloppenborg. Nikos Kokkinos. Svend
Fodgaard Jensen, Gunnar Haaland. Monika Bernett. Flaim Gitler, Moshe
Ilartal, Yizhar Hirschfeld. and my colleagues at the Department of New
Testament Studies.
A special thanks goes to my doctoral advisor. Per Bilde. for his con­
tinuous guidance and sincere interest in my project. During year-long tu­
3
torial on Josephus* Antiquities 18 I profited tremendously from his great
classical wisdom: and thanks to his consistently thorough response, each
and every page of what follows benefited from his ‘red-inked’ error cor­
rections and suggestions for improvement. For what remains of errors and
shortcomings, I have solely myself to blame.
VIII A cbtnwlcdgrmenls
also wish to express my sinccre appreciation lo the editor of the
1
WUNT 11 series. Jorg Frey, for inviting me to present my dissertation at a
conference in Munich as well as for accepting it for publication, to Jespcr
Tang Nielsen for mentioning my work to Jorg Frey, and to Henning
Ziebritzki and the editorial staff of Mohr Siebeck Publishing House for
competent guidance throughout the process of preparing the manuscript for
publication.
I also want to express my gratitude to the research foundation known as
Forskningsradet for kultur og kornmunikation. which has covered the main
expense of ray three-year employment as a PhD student; and to the Faculty
of Theology. University of Aarhus, for providing me with such superior
facilities for a PhD programme. Participation in several international con­
ferences and three seasons of digging in the campaign in Tiberias directed
by Yizhar Hirschfeld was made possible through the generous support of
Aarhus Universitets Forskningsf'ond, Knud Hojgirds Fond. Frimodt*
Heineke Fonden, Brorsons rejselegat and Torben & Alice Frimodts Fond,
for which I am deeply grateful.
wish to conclude by explaining why this entire project is dedicated to
1
Jeanette - the love of my life. The completion of the projcct has demanded
a number of working hours beyond what is reasonable not to mention pe­
riods during which was abroad, leaving her alone with the responsibility
1
for caring for our three children. Johanne. Benjamin and Oliver, and for
this I am deeply grateful. At the same time. I have experienced a warm
concern from her for the subject matter of this dissertation. During our vis­
its to Israel together, we have both learned to treasure the historical, geo­
graphical and archaeological scenery behind the books of our Bible.
Aarhus. May 2006 Morten Homing Jensen
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements---------------------------------------------------------------------------------VII
Table of Contents......................... - ------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------IX
Abbreviations and Preliminary Remarks.......................................................................- xm
Tables and Figures----------------------------------------------------------------------------------XV
Pari I: Settings
Chapter 1. Approaching Herod Antipus----------------------------------------------------3
!.l All RlkuIs Lead lu Galilee..........................................................................—.............3
1.1.1 Historical Jesus Research..............—....................................—............— .......5
1.1.2 Four Important Issues— .................—........—......................................-..5
12 Urban-Rural Relations - Conflict »w I larmony?---------------------------------------------9
12.1 Two Pictures of'Galilee...........................................—........—.......................9
122 *A Picture of Harmony' Reciprocal Urban-RuralR elations----------------------10
12 3 ‘A Picture of Conflict' Parasmc Urban-Rural Relations...........................16
12.4 The Question of Sociological Models....................................................—.......30
13 Research on Herod Antopas.......................................................................................35
13.1 (iemian Research of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century--------------35
132 Popular Scholarly Works--------------------------------------------------------------38
133 Rcccnt Research on Anti pas----------------------------------------------------------40
Chapter 2. Procedure oft he Investigation...................................................-.............45
2.1 Research Area----------------------------------------------------------------------------------45
22 Main Problem-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------46
23 Methodology___________________________________________________47
2.4 Focus—______________ _____________________________________________48
23 Outline......................................................................................................................49
Part II: Sources
Chapter 3. Herod Antipas and Josephus__________________________________ 53
3.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................53
32 Josephus as a Writer of History___________________________________-......„...54
32.1 Per Bilde______________________________________________________54
32.2 James S. McLaren....................................................— ....................— ........57
X Table of Contents
3.2.3 Unci Rappaport------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.2.4 Sieve Mason.....................................................................................................
3.2.5 Klaus-Stefan Knegtt------------------------------------------------------.------------65
3.2.6 Approaching Josephus......— ....................................................................67
3 J The Context............................................................................................................68
3 J. I Antipatei. the Founder of lhc Henxfaan Dynasty----------------------------------68
3.32 Henxl the Great________________________________________________69
3 J J Arche Laos.— ...........................................................................................................................................77
3 J.4 The Fourth Philosophy.—-- -----------------------------------...-------79
335 Pthtfc__________________________________________________________81
3.3.6 Philip the Tctrarch-------------------------------—---------------—-----------......82
3.3.7 Agrippa I------—..........................................................................................—83
32.8 Life___________________________________________________________86
3.3.9 Partial Conclusion.....................................—.................................................89
3.4 Herod Antipas in the Writings of Josephus.........................................................—90
3.4.1 Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------------90
3.42 Herod Aniipas and Rome—..............................................................................91
3.4.3 Herod Antipas and the Jewish Nation and Religion..........................................94
3.4.4 Partial Conclusion--------------------------------------— ----------......----------98
3.5 Chapter Conclusions-------------------------------------------------------------------------99
Chapter 4. Herod Aniipas in Other Written Sources______________________ 101
4.1 Introduction.......................................................................-.............................— 101
42 Traditions m Greek and Laiin Writings------------------------------------------------102
4.2.1 The Division of the Kingdom of Herod the Great...........................................102
422 The Downfall of Arcbelaos.........................................................................104
4.2J Pilate's Votive Shields and lhc Jewish Embassy........................................... 106
4.3 The New Testament-...................................................—......................................109
4.3.1 Herod .Antipas and Jesus in Marl and Matthew-------------------— ............. 110
4.32 Antipas and John the Baptist in Mark and Matthew.—.................................112
4.3.3 Herod Antipas and Luke - The Trial of Jesus---------------............................114
Luke 3:19 20__________________________________________________115
Luke 9:7 9_________________ __________________________________115
Luke 13:31 33_________________________________________________116
Luke 23:1-15_________________________________ __________«___ 117
Acts 4:27____________________________________________________122
4.3.4 Partial Conclusion—......—.........— ...........................................................122
4.4 Chapter Conclusions______________ ______ ____________.......---------- 124
Chapter 5. Herod Antipas and the Archaeology of Galilee................................1
26
5.1 Introduction.................................................................................................—........126
52 Archaeological Theory and Methodology..............................................................127
52.1 Archaeological Methodology..............................................................---------127
522 Archaeological Theory — .......................................... ... ............... 129
5.2.3 Partial Conclusion.............................................................................................133
53 Tiberias.................................................................................................................135
5.3.1 The History of Tiberias...................................................................................135
532 First-Century Tiberias According to Josephus................................................137
5.33 Archaeological Material from the First Century....................................................— 138
The Southern Gate and the Cardo............................................................... 139
XI
1 able of Contents
If all i02, Possibly an Earh'-firs t-century Wall--------------------
Portions ofa Magnificent Marble Floor and Wall Structures
Remnant r of the Stadium________________._____ _______
Lead Weights and Cains___________________________—
Future Excavations____________________________— -----------------------------------
5.3.4 Archacological Material from Later Periods.........—-------------
5.3.5 Partial Coociusioo—...................................................................
5.4 Sepphoris-------------------------------------------------..........-......-
5.4.1 The History of Scpphoris-----------------------------------------------
5.4.2 Roman Sepphoris According to Archaeological Material------------------------151
The Water System....................—----------------------------------— ...............152
The Western Summit ..............................................................-.........••.......152
The Theatre------------------------------------------------------------------------------154
The Roman Mansion with the Diomsos Mosaic-----------------------------------156
The Eastern Lower Plateau.-----------------------------------------------------------157
5.43 Partial Coochiaoa-----------------— ------------------------------------------------160
5.5 A Regional Perspective - Villages of Lower Galilee —.........................................162
5.5.1 Yodc&t----------------------------------------------------------------------------------163
5.5.2 Khirbct Cana___________________________________________________167
5-5.3 Capernaum--------------------------------------------------------------------------------169
5.5.4 Gamla----------------------------------------------------------------------------— 175
5-5.5 Partial Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------177
5.6 An Inter-Regional Perspective - Nearby Cities........................—.................*-----179
5.6.1 Bordering Cities of Occapolis: Hippos. Gadaraa nd Scytbopoiis.....................179
5.6.2 Herod lhc Great’s Caesarea Mari lima.............................................................181
5.6J Partial Conclusion-™.------------------------------------------------------------------184
5.7 Chapter Conclusions---------------------------------------------------------------------------185
Chapter 6. Message and Minting - The Coins ofH erod Antipas--------- — 187
6.1 Introduction.......................... .........................-..............................................— 187
6.2 Coinage on a Religio-Political and Socio-Economic Level------------------------------188
6.2.1 The Message; The Ban On Images--------------------------------------------------188
622 The Minting; Coinage Circulation. Monetization and Urbanization-................190
6.3 The Context: Sccond Temple Coinage......................................................................192
6.3.1 The Hasmoncan Coinage ...................-........................................................-192
6J.2 The Coins ofltcmd the Great----------------------------—...........................—194
6 J J The Coins of Archelaus----------------------------------------------------197
6.3.4 The Coins of Philip------------------------------—-----------------------------------198
63.5 The Corns of Agrippa 1-----------------------------------------------------------------201
6.3.6 ll>c Corns of the Roman Administranon-------------------------------------------202
6.4 The Corns of Herod Antipas......................................................................................203
6.4.1 Images and I cgends on the Coins of Aniipas —..............................................2W
6.4.2 Excursus: Two Monumental Inscriptions........................................................209
6.4 J The Circulation of the Coins of Antipas------------------------------------------212
6.5 Chapter Conclusions..................................................................................................214